


A Birthday To Remember

by draca (wyvernwolf)



Category: Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-17
Updated: 2010-02-17
Packaged: 2017-10-07 08:33:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyvernwolf/pseuds/draca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tomorrow was Sam's birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Birthday To Remember

Tomorrow was Sam's birthday.

There was no party planned, in fact as far as he knew, no one at the station was aware it was his birthday tomorrow and he intended to keep it that way. But recognition from the others or not, he knew that this birthday would be special. And the reason he knew this was because he remembered.

He remembered waking up the morning of the day he turned five. He remembered looking out the small window above his bed and being happy to see blue skies with not a cloud in sight. His excitement had known no bounds and he'd eagerly waited for his Dad to show bringing his extra special present, like he always did.

He remembered how he'd been on tenterhooks the whole day, running to the window every time he heard an approaching car or footsteps, and he clearly remembered the sharp disappointment he'd felt each time when it had been someone else. There'd been cake and presents and both his Mum and Aunt Heather had been there making a fuss of him but the day had taken a sad turn because his Dad hadn't been there.

He remembered how after they'd had cake and he'd opened his presents, he'd snuck behind the kitchen door when he was supposed to be playing outside and overheard his Mum and Aunt Heather having a quiet argument in the kitchen. They didn't know he was there because he'd been very quiet but he still hadn't been able to hear what they'd been saying exactly. All he knew was his Aunt Heather was angry and his Mum had been upset. And it was with a pang that he remembered how his Mum had had to wipe away tears as she'd done the evening's washing up. He'd been upset at that because his Mum wasn't supposed to cry and he'd been very angry with his Aunt Heather for making his Mum cry. He'd not spoken to her for days after that.

He'd been too young to realise at the time that they'd been arguing about his Dad and that was why his Mum had been crying, not because of his Aunt Heather.

And then it had been time for bed and he remembered trudging up the stairs of their little house, going through the ritual of getting ready for bed and then climbing into his bed with it's sheets covered in cartoon cowboy and indians, a sad and confused little boy who missed his Daddy.

But then he remembered his Mum waking him up a short time later and seeing the Space Hopper next to his bed. It was blue with a bright red bow. And written on the tag, his name, _Sammy_, in big black letters with the words, _Happy Birthday_, and a smiley face.

His Mum had told him that a friend had given it to him but he'd been convinced it was from his Dad. He remembered with fondness how he'd not wanted to go back to sleep but wanted to play instead. His Mum had only managed to get him back into bed by letting him sleep with the Hopper next to him in bed. Till this day, he could still remember that his dreams that night had been all about his new toy and he'd woken extra early the next day and spent the entire day playing with it. He'd driven his Mum to distraction with his uncoordinated bouncing.

It was only now that he was back in 1974 that Sam realised his Dad hadn't sent the Space Hopper. That he had really left them the year before. And it was with some surprise that he realised he was all right with that.

Tomorrow was Sam Tyler's birthday. He would be 39 and he would be 5. And he was buying himself his first Space Hopper.

It would be blue with a bright red bow tied to it and a tag that had big black letters that said _Happy Birthday Sammy_ with a smiley face.

Just like he remembered.

-Fin-


End file.
